Machine for rolling heads on mufflers



Jan. 14,1941. Q M. BUCK f 2,228,651

MACHINE FOR ROLLNG HEADS QN MU'FLERS Y origingil Filed Feb. 1o, :19:58 2 sheets-sheet 1 .EL/EK .A CLARENCE M Jan. 14, 1941. Q M BUCK MCHIE FOR ROLLING HEADSl ON UFFLERS Original Filed Feb. l0, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lZW .EL/EK u] EL AREA/BE.

Patented Jan. 1'4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT AOFFICE I MACHINE FOR ROLLING HEAS ON MUFFLERS Clarence M. Buck.' Jackson, Mich., assignor to Hayes Industries, Inc., Jackson, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application February 10, 1938, SerialNo.

189,751. Divided and this application Novembei' v28, 1938, Serial N0. 242,678

3 Claims.

for internal combustion engines. This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 189,751, file d February 10, 1938.

The present invention contemplates the rapid chucking of a sheet metal body, such as that of. a muiiler, rotating the same about its longitudinal` axis and with the heads in position, simultaneously attaching heads at opposite ends of the body by rolling together radially projecting flanges upon l5 the edge of the body, the machine in its pre.

ferred form embodying structural features vpermitting chucking of the muffler body for rotation with the muiller heads in position at opposite ends of the muiiier body simultaneously rolling the heads at opposite ends of the body so as to provide a substantially gas-proof connection seam.S

An object of the present invention is to provide a machine for securing. heads on muler bodies and similar articles by rolling together radially extending flanges on the heads and on the muler bodies.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machineV for connecting muiller heads and the like to muler bodies and the like by performing one step, whereby radially extending adjacent anges from the head and the body are partially rolled together while not backed up andby another.step, whereby the flanges are rolled together while the flanges are backed up to complete the connection.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine having a head stock anda tail stock,

between which the muiiler is clamped, and rela-` tively movable dies for cooperation with the muiller to lock the head thereon.

A still further object of the invention is to provide mechanism for controlling the rate of the rolling of the anges of the `body and the head Y together. A still furtherobject of the invention is to pro- 45,1 vide a machine for attaching heads to muiiier d ies andthe like by locking flanges on the heads j bodies together by dies cooperating with the iller body.

A lstill further object of the invention is to provide a machine for rotating a muffler by driving it from each end.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the foregoing. character for securing sheet metal parts. other than mufiler parts together.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partially in vertical section showing the machine having a muffler 5 clamped between the headand tail stock thereof and the dies for performing the first connecting step, in engagement with the muiiler,

Fig. 2 is avpartial section showing the beginning of the ilrst connecting step, 10

Fig. 3'is a partial section showing the completion of the last connecting step, A 1

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1

' showing the connecting dies and the mechanism for adjusting the same longitudinally of the mai5 chine to accommodate mufliers of different sizes, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form of the machine employing a single y roller. g .20

Referring particularly to the drawings, the reference character I indicates a base on'which is mounted a head stock 2, having a rotatable head center 3. The "head center 3 has keyed thereto a pulley 4, which is driven by belts 5 from an electric 25 motor 6. The head center 3 is mounted for rotation in suitable bearings 1. On the base I is also mounted a tail stock 8, having rotatably mounted therein a tail center 9. The tail center 9 is also arranged for axial movement and slides 3o axially and rotates in sleeve bearings Ill. The tail center 9 is provided, like the head center 3, with a pulley II, which is driven through the belts I2 from a motor I3. 'Ihe motors 6 and I3 should be identical so that the head center 3 `and. the tail 35 center 9 will be driven at the saine speed. The tail center 9 is provided with an end piece 20, which has extending axially therefrom a spindle 2l which projects into a head 22 having a hollow interior 23. Secured to the spindle 2| atl each 40 side of one side of the head 22 are thrust bearings 24, by means of which axial movement of the head 22 'is imparted through the spindle 2| to the tail center 9. The head 22 is splined into a slideway 25 and has connected thereto a rod 26, which is 45 in turn connected to a piston 21 in a cylinder 28. The cylinder is provided at one, end thereof with a port 29 and at the other end thereof with a. port 39. The ports 29 and 30 are connected to suitable valve mechanism to admit air into one end 50 i of the cylinder 28 and to exhaust it from the other end, and vice versa, to reciprocate the piston 2l in a well-known manner. Thus, as the piston 21 is reciprocated, the tail center 9 is reciprocated.

The head center 9 is provided with a conical 55 Fig. 1, the rightward movementk being limited lby a stop 40 on the left end of the rod 31.

The tail center 9 is likewise equipped with a centering device, which comprises a conical centering nose 4I axially slidable within the tail center 9. Axially slidable in the centering nose 4| is a rod 42, which is anchored at its inner end to the end piece 20 and has disposed thereabout a helical spring 43 for the purpose of urging the centering nose 4| toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1. The leftward movement of the centering nose 4| is limited by a stop 44 onthe outer end of the rod 42.

Projecting upwardly from the base at a point between the head center 3 and the tail center 9 are two cradles 45 and 45, respectively, arranged to receive a muier body M thereon and to support it substantially in alignment with the centers 3 and 9. When it is desired to place a mufer body in the machine, the piston 21 is moved to its extreme right position, as viewed in Fig. 1, to move the tail -center 9-to its extreme right position. A muffler body is then disposed in the cradles 45 and 45. Movement of the piston -21 to the left moves the tail center 9 to the left and clamps the muiiler body M between the head center 3 and the tail center 9.

As shown in Fig. 1 and more in detail in Fig. 3, each muiller head 41 is provided with a connecting sleeve 48 of a diameter considerably less than the muffler M. As the tail center 9 is moved outwardly from the tail stock 8 to clamp a muiiler between the centers 3 and 9, the conical noses 35 and 4| engage with the sleeves 48 to'center the muiiler body M with' respect to the centers 3 and 9. Referring particularly to Fig. 2, it will be observed that the muiiler body M is provided at each end with a radially extending flange 49 and that the heads 41 are each provided with a radially extending flange 50 and also that the heads 41 are each provided with a portion 5| -telescopically 41 to the mulierbody M is disclosed particularly in Fig. 4.

The base I is provided with horizontal shoulders 55 and 55 and vertical shoulders 51 and 58. Disposed on said shoulders 55 and 55 and between said vertical shoulders 51 and 58 is a slide 59. The slide 59 has rotatably supported therein a pin 50, to which is connected a'rocker 5I. The rocker 5| has mounted therein freely rotatable rolling dies 52, 53 and 54. The dies 52 and 53 are adjustable, being rotatable :about pins 55, in turn mounted in guides 55 slidable in ways 51. The adjustment of the rolls 52 and 53 is provided by threaded rods 58 and nuts 59'thereon.

The rocker 5| is provided with` an arm. 13 which is pivoted to a piston rod 14 connected to a piston 15 in a cylinder 15. The cylinder 15 is pivoted about one end to a bracket 11 connected to the base l, and is provided with ports 18 and 19 communicating with the opposite ends thereof. The

ports 18 and 19 are connectedto suitable valve mechanism for admitting air to one end of the cylinder and exhausting it from the other, and vice versa, to reciprocate the piston 15 in a wellknown manner. It will be clear that as the piston 15 is moved from one end of the cylinder 15 to theI other, the rocker 5| will be rocked about the axis of the pin50. The rocker 5I, together with the rolling dies 52, 53 and 54 thereon, is arranged with respect to the muiiier body M in such a manner that the rolling dies will move into operative relation with the muilier M as the piston 15 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 4 upwardly, to act upon the flanges` 49 and 50 to lock them together.

As shown particularly in Fig. 2, when the rolling die 52 engages the flanges 49 and 50, the flanges 49 and 50 begin to bend and thu's perform the first step in the locking of such flanges together. nuts 59 and the threaded rod 58 to such a position with respect tothe axis of the muier body M that as the rocker 5| is rocked to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, by the piston 15, the rolling die 52 will pass completely under the mufiler body Ivi, at the same time deforming the anges 49 and 50 a predetermined amount. As shown in Fig. 2, the die 52 has a working face. that deflects the flanges 49 and 50 sidewise and inwardly. The rolling die 53 is provided to perform a second step in the locking of the flanges 49 and 55 together. However, if preferred, the rolling die 58 may be entirely dispensed with and its work performed by the rolling die 52.

The rolling die 54 does not pass beneath the but moves up against the side of the muler body M to roll the partly deformed flanges 49 arid'il .into interlocking engagement, the rolling action by the rolling dies 54 being backed up and assistedby the arbor 88 and comprising a part of each center 3 and 9. The flanges 49 and 50 are thus firmly-'locked together.

It is desirable to limit the speed with which the rolling dies 52, 53 and 64 move under the action of the piston 15, not only for the purpose of -assuringtheproper action of the dies against the flanges 49. :and y50, but also to insure that the dies 52 and 53lw'il1 not pass completely under the muilier before the entire peripheries of the iianges `49 and 50 have been acted upon. To limit such speed there is provided a cylinder 83 in which is disposed a piston 84 connected to a piston rod 85. The piston rod 85 is pivoted to an arm 85 keyed y to the pin 50. The cylinder 83 is pivoted by `means of a pin 81 to a portion of the slide 59.

Thus, as the piston 15 moves to rock the rocker 5| about the axis of the pin 50, the arm 85 moves the piston rod 85, which in turn moves the pistonr 84 within the cylinder 83.

'I'he cylinder 83 is lled with a liquid, such as oil or the like of a desired viscosity, which as the piston 84 moves from the right to left, as viewed in Fig. 4, passes out through the port 88 inthe. cylinder 83,

through the pipe 89, through the check valve 95 e 4 I having a restricted orice, into the reservoir 9|. The check valve may be of any standard design.

Thus, the passing of the liquid in the cylinder 83` 70 through the restricted orifice inthe check valve limits the speed at which the rocker 5| may rock to the left, as viewed in.Fig. 4. However, when the rocker 5| is rocked to the right, as viewed in Fig. 4, and the piston 84 in the cylinder 83 moves tothe right, the liquid in the reservoir 9| flows freely vthrough the check valve 90 back of rolling dies.

into the cylinder 93. It will be understood, of course, that the check valve 99 may be adjusted or originally selected to permit a flow-of the liquid from within the cylinder 93 at such a rate asto result in the desired speed of the rocker 6|.

The machine as described thus far is set for -worlr upon a muiiier having a ilxed length. In

order to adapt it to muiiiers of dierent lengths, there is provided mechanism disclosed in Figs. 1 and 4 for adjusting the rolling dies 62, 63 and 64 associated with the tail center 9 of the machine toward and away from the head stock 2 oi' the machine. 'I'his adjustment is accomplished by a pinion 93 mounted on a pin 94 rotatable in an arm of the slide 59 has been made, the adjustment isv ilxed by clamps |02 and 99 secured to the base I by socket head cap screws |00. A similar' adjustment of the tail stock longitudinally of the 4base I may be provided by similar adjusting mechanism |I.

While the rolling dies 62, 69 and 64, above described and particularly shown in Fig. 4, are those associated with the tail center 9 of the machine, it is to be understood that identical rolling dies and structure are associated with the head center 3 oi.' the machine for the purpose of locking together the flanges of the head 41 and the muiiler body M disposed at the head stock 2 end of the muilier body M. It is also tobe understood that there is a cylinder 93 and associated structure at each end of the muflier body M, one for each set While the-dies associated with the head'center 3 are shown in the drawings as not adjustable longitudinally of the base I, thesedies may be adjustable longitudinally of the base or not,

as desired.

As shown, the head center 3 and the tail center -9 are driven by belt connections from electric motors 6 and I3. It will be understood that instead of belt connections, gear connections may be provided. Instead of using separate electric motors to drive the head center 3 andthe tail center 9, they may be driven simultaneously from a single source of power. Moreover, when separate electric motors are used to drive the head center 3 and the tail center 9, they should be operated from the saine switch so that they will start simultaneously.v Pneumatic power has been disclosed as the means for actuating the pistons 21 and 15. It is considered that these pistons may be operated hydraulically or the movement be obtained electrically within the scope ofthe present invention. The foregoing description has been confined'to one particular form of interlocking connections between the adjacent flanges of the head and muilier body. It will, of course, be understood that the invention is not necessarily hunted to the particular type of connection, and other types of connection involving a diiierent specific overlapping structure might be used. In such a case, of course, the dies would have to be different. l

-In Fig. 5 is shown a modined form of the invention in which a single rolling guide |04, which may beidentical to the die 62, is employed for rolling dies 62, 63 and 64 of the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. At this point it might be aswell to state that it has been found that the' number of rolling dies required depends-primarily upon the shape of the seam. For linuiiier construction, for example, it has beenfound that a satisfactory seam betweenthe muiiler body and the muliler heads ot the carrying out the several steps performed by the v general character oi' the seam shown in Fig. 3

may be rolled by means of a single roller with the arrangement shown in Fig. 5. The rolling die |04, having been swung about its pivot |06, tlrst engages the radial anges of the muiiler body M and forms the initial rolling operation illustrated in Fig. 2. When the rolling die has been swung to the left to the position shown in Fig. 5, the seam is completely formed into the construction shown inFig. 3. l Preferably a stop v|06 engages with the abutment H0, which prevents the roller |04 from passing beneath the muilier in the manner of the rolling die 62. In practice, the stop |08 is adjustedso that the advancement of the rolling die |04 is arrested when the point of contact between the rolling die and the muiiler is aligned in a plane through the axes of rotation of the muiiler and the rolling die |04. The operation of the machine isso regulated that there will be a dwell lwith the roller |04 in this position, which is the position shown in Fig. '5, whereby the roller |04 has an opportunity to function as a sizing die in the manner of the die 64. It should become. apparent from the foregoing description that the die |04, by being bodily swung through an arc and permitted to dwell to size the rolled seam of the muiiler, has the combined function of the group of rolling dies 6 2, 63 and 64 of the modiilcation shownin Fig. 4. It is to be understood, however, that in commercial practice the shape of seam desired will render it uni'easible in some cases to attempt to perform the entire rolling operation of a single rolling die,

and it will become advisable to resort to the more elaborate arrangement illustrated in Fig. 4.

l for this reason it is not my intention to limit the appended claims to mutller construction but to in# clude in general sheet metal bodies and `associated parts as well.

Having thus described my invention, what I delsire to secure by Letters Patent and claim is:

vxnent to clamp the shell between the connecter heads, concentrically located centers disposed in each arbor and having enlarged tapered heads, means for resiliently projecting said enlarged heads into centering relation with the apertures of the connecter heads with the shell clamped between the connecter heads, and rolling dies spaced approximately the lengthof the shell and supported for transverse movement for engagement with the flanged portions of the shell and connecter heads, with the shell clamped between the connecter heads and said flanged portions backed up by said arbors.

2. In a machine for rolling apertured flanged connecter heads of muillers for internal combustion engines upon opposite ends of cylindrical shells having flanged ends, the combination of a chucking. driving and backing structure comprising a pair of opposed cylindrical hollow arbors shaped to snugly fit within the flanged connecter heads to back up the rolling operation between the outer flanges of the connecter heads and the flanged ends of the shell, means supporting said arbors -for rotation and for. relative axial movement to clamp the shell between the connecter heads, concentrically locatedcenters disposed in each arbor and having tapered heads, means for resiliently projecting said tapered heads into centering relation with the apertures ofthe connecter heads with the shell clamped between the connecter heads, and rolling dies supported for transverse movement for operative engagement with the flanged portions of the shell and connecter heads for rolling said nanges together while backed up by said arbors.

3. In a machine for rolling apertured anged connecter heads of mufilers for internal combus- 5 tion engines upon opposite ends of cylindrical shells having flanged ends, the combination o! a chucking, driving and backing structure comprising a pair of opposed cylindrical hollow arbors shaped to snugly t within the anged connecter l0 heads to back up the rolling operation between the outer ilanges 'of the connecter heads and the flanged ends of the shelll means supporting said-arbors for rotation and for relative axial movement to clamp the shell between the con- 15 necter heads, concentrically located centers disposed in each'arbor and having tapered heads, means for resiliently projecting said tapered heads into centering relation with the apertures of the connecter heads with the shell clamped between 20 the connecten heads, and means for rolling said flanges together while backed up by said arbors.

CLARENCE M. BUCK. 

